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REPORT 

OF THE 

MARYLAND STATE NORMAL 

SCHOOL 
BUILDING COMMISSION 

TO THE 

Governor 

AND THE 

General Assembly of Maryland 




ANNAPOLIS 

1912 






^ 



MEMBERS OF THE COMMISSION. 



J. CHARLES LINTHICUM, Chairman. 

JOHN S. BIDDISON. 

CARVILLE D. BENSON. 

W. MITCHELL DIGGES. 

THE GOVERNOR. 

THE STATE COMPTROLLER. 

THE STATE TREASURER. 

THE STATE SUPERINTENDENT OF 

EDUCATION. 
THE PRINCIPAL OF THE MARYLAND 

STATE NORMAL SCHOOL. 



B. K. PURDUM, Secretary, 
Annapolis, Md. 

D. of D.' 
..PR 23 19 5 






V 



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INTRODUCTION. 

The Maryland State Normal School Building Commission 
was created by an Act of the General Assembly of 1910, and 
charged with the duty of investigating the need for improved 
normal school facilities, the recommending of a site, and the 
preparing of tentative plans for buildings. 

The Commission has collected considerable information 
concerning the present conditions and needs which is here- 
with set forth. It has inspected a large number of sites. 
Descriptions of those sites which seem available are included. 
Tentative plans for grounds and buildings have been pre- 
pared, without charge to the Commission, by Mr. Theodore 
Wells Pietsch, Architect, and it is believed that with slight 
modification, they will be adequate. 

The material included in this report is submitted under the 
following headings : 

I. The Present Condition and Needs. 

II. Descriptions of Sites. 

III. Tentative Plans for Buildings and Grounds. 

IV. Relation of Institution to Baltimore City. 



I. THE PRESENT CONDITION AND NEEDS. 

The present demands of the modern public school make 
special training for the teacher as essential as for any other 
profession. We have many good teachers now in the work, 
who have not had the advantage of normal training, but they 
have invariably become efficient after a number of years' ex- 
perience in the classroom, at the expense of their pupils, who 
can ill afford to lose their time. 

Our investigation shows that the county superintendents 
are encountering constantly increasing difficulties in securing 
competent teachers. Fully 350 new teachers are needed each 
year in the State to fill positions caused by increase in enroll- 
ment and to take the place of those who, for various reasons, 
leave the work, while our normal schools supply less than 100 
teachers annually. This means that more than 250 untrained 
teachers go into our schools each year. Much valuable time 
of the pupils under their charge is lost and the whole system 
is affected adversely. This should not be. 

The Commission observes that about 80 per cent, of our 
teachers are women. This means that the Normal School is 
primarily a girls' school. The State appropriates many thou- 
sands of dollars annually to institutions engaged in the educa- 
tion of young men who make valuable returns to the State, 
but usually in an indirect way. The Normal School graduates 
invariably engage immediately in the State's own work and 
seem, for that reason, to have the first claim on the State for 
its help. Proper recognition of the work of the Normal School 
affords the State an opportunity to treat its young women as 
well as it has been treating its young men. 



TABLE Showing Total Number of Teachers in Each County, the 
Percentage of Normal School Graduates Now Employed, the Usual 
Number of New Teachers Needed Annually, and the Number of 
Normal Graduates From Each County in Class of 191 1. 



Counties 



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Allegany 

Anne Arundel . . 

Baltimore 

Calvert 

Caroline 

Carroll 

Cecil 

Charles 

Dorchester 

Frederick 

Garrett 

Harford 

Howard 

Kent 

Montgomery. . . 
Prince George's 
Queen Anne's. . 

St. Mary's.. 

Somerset 

Talbot 

Washington 
Wicomico ...... 

Worcester 

Totals . • • 



238 
190 

477 
59 
112 
188 
161 
92 
182 

273 
172 

166 

74 
112 
163 
167 
103 

9i 
136 
116 

254 
148 

145 



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89 

52 
301 
13 
23 
42 
20 
15 
27 
23 
18 

64 
40 
36 
25 
19 
50 

4 
10 

13 
28 

27 
14 



953 



37% 
27% 

63% 

22% 
20% 
22% 
12% 
16% 

14% 
8% 
10% 
38% 
54% 
32% 

15% 
12% 

48% 
4% 
7% 
11% 
11% 
18% 

9% 



24% 



20 
25 
35 

6 
20 
18 
10 
10 
10 
10 
20 
15 
15 

8 

15 
12 

15 
10 
16 
12 
10 
30 
10 



352 



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THE REASONS FOR BETTER AND MORE EXTEN- 
SIVE NORMAL SCHOOL EQUIPMENT BRIEFLY 
STATED 

i. The demands of a modern public school system make 
special training for teaching as necessary as for Law, Medi- 
cine or any other profession. 

2. More than 350 new teachers are needed each year in the 
State while our Normal Schools which are at present over- 
crowded are not able to furnish more than 80 teachers an- 
nually. 

3. The present building which was built about forty years 
ago is in bad condition, and has been pronounced unsafe by 
the Building Inspector of Baltimore. 

It has no system of ventilation. 

The construction is not fireproof. 

The corridors are narrow and dark. 

The classrooms are too small, insufficient in number, and 

poorly lighted. 
The stairways are too narrow for safety. 
There is no vacant ground for recreation. 
The location is at the corner of two noisy thoroughfares. 

4. The curriculum should be enlarged by the introduction 
of additional courses. This is impossible in the present 
quarters. 

5. There is only one small laboratory for the teaching of ail 
of the different branches of science and no room properly 
lighted for artwork. 

6. The absence of dormitories forces the girls into boarding 
houses where distracting influences prevent the formation of 
studious habits, where they lose the advice of teachers as to 
conduct and associates, where food is poor and rooms uncom- 
fortable, where they are liable to be subjected at any time to 
dangerous influences. 

7. Negroes have been rapidly moving into the vicinity and 
are now within one block of the school. This lowers the class 
of boarding houses. 

8. The institution is owned and controlled by the State. 
Its work is the State's work and should be well done. 

8 



V 




Map of Baltimore and Vicinity 

SHOWING 

Location ol Sites Submitted 

\ . " Park Heights and Slade Avenue Property." 

2. "Chcw> Property," Towson. 

3. "Albert Property," Catonsville. 

4. "Kcrby Property," Catonsville." 

5. " Allen Property," Towson. 

6. "OffuU Property ," Towson. 

7. "Menlo Pork Property." Park Heights Aw 

8. "Talbolt Property," Lulherville. 

9. " Bauernschmidl Property." Hamilton, 

10. "Harker Property." Hamilton. 

1 1. "Mahon Property." Pikesville." 

12. " Boulevard Property," Ml Washingtoo. 

13. "Shipley Property." Shipley. 

14. "The Maples," Charlw Street Avenue. 

15. "O'Donnell Property," Lakeside. 



II. DESCRIPTIONS OF SITES. 

Before the inspection of sites was begun, the Commission 
decided that no property would be considered that contained 
less than forty acres, that was not on some important thor- 
oughfare, or was not within easy reach of one or more large 
public school, or near enough to sufficient population to make 
it possible to establish a practice school in connection with 
the institution. 

The Commission inspected more than 50 sites, many of 
which were not in any sense suitable for the purpose desired. 
There are included, herewith, definite descriptions of 15 prop- 
erties that seem in a greater or less degree to meet the re- 
quirements decided upon. 

LIST OF SITES. 

1. "PARK HEIGHTS AND SLADE AVENUE PROPERTY." 

This property contains approximately 50 acres and is 
situated at the corner of Park Heights and Slade Avenues, 
extending through to the Reisterstown Road. It is high- 
est in center, sloping gently in four directions. There is 
a large grove of forest trees on the Slade Avenue front, it 
is on electric line and near Western Maryland Railroad. 
Elevation, 500 feet. No improvements. Price, $83,268. 

2. "CHEW PROPERTY," TOWSON. 

Contains 425 acres, lying northeast of Towson, two 
squares from electric line, and five squares from Maryland 
and Pennsylvania Railroad, several fine building sites, 
well watered and fertile, no improvements that could be 
utilized, elevation, 400 feet. Price, $200 per acre, in sec- 
tions of 45 acres, $300 per acre. 

3. "ALBERT PROPERTY," CATONSVILLE. 

Contains 43 acres, situated on Bloomsbury Avenue, 
near high school, 19-room house, in good repair, fine shade 
trees and shrubbery, near electric line, steam road at rear, 
elevation, 450 feet. Price, $45,000. 



4 . "KERBY PROPERTY," CATONSVILLE. 

Contains 40 acres, situated on west side Frederick 
Road, 28-room house, in good repair, fine shade trees, on 
electric line, elevation, 400 feet. Price, $50,000. 

5. "ALLEN PROPERTY," TOWSON. 

Contains 50 acres, situated on west side York Road, 
large house, in good repair, on electric line, Maryland and 
Pennsylvania Railroad at rear, fine shade trees, elevation, 
450 feet. Price, $47,500. 

6. "OFFUTT PROPERTY," TOWSON. 

Contains 40 acres, situated on Chesapeake Avenue, near 
electric line, Maryland and Pennsylvania Railroad and 
Towson High School, good house, shade and shrubbery, 
elevation, 465 feet. Price not quoted, unless seriously 
considered. 

7. "MENLO PARK PROPERTY," PARK HEIGHTS AND GLENN 

AVENUES. 

Contains 47^2 acres, situated on east side Park Heights 
Avenue, three new modern cottages, two of which could 
be utilized, on electric line, elevation, 450 feet. Price, 
$80,750. 

8. "TALBOTT PROPERTY," LUTHERVILLE. 

Contains 125 acres, situated on Northern Central Rail- 
road, near terminus of Lutherville electric line, affords 
several good building sites, in high state of cultivation, 
well watered and drained, shade and forest trees, orchards 
and shrubbery. No improvements that could be utilized, 
elevation, 360 feet. Price, $50,000. 

9. BAUERNSCHMIDT PROPERTY," HAMILTON. 

Contains 68 acres, situated on west side Harford Road, 
on electric line, extends back to Glenmore Avenue, groves 
of forest trees, lawns, shrubbery and orchards, large 
mansion, barn and tenant house, all in good condition, 
elevation, 350 feet. Price, $70,000. 

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io. "HARKER PROPERTY," HAMILTON. 

Contains 88 acres, situated on east side Harford Road, 
on electric line, mostly woodland, no improvements that 
could be utilized. Price, $52,000. 

11. "MAHON PROPERTY," PIKESVILLE. 

Contains 55 acres, situated on Seven-Mile Lane, near 
Park Heights Avenue, near electric line, dwelling in good 
repair, fine shade, shrubbery and orchards, elevation, 475 
feet. Price, $60,000. 

12. "BOULEVARD PROPERTY," MT. WASHINGTON. 

Contains 40 acres, situated on proposed new boulevard, 
near electric line, shrubbery, orchards, no improvements 
that could be utilized. Price, $65,000. 

13. "SHIPLEY PROPERTY," SHIPLEY. 

Contains 100 acres, situated on Annapolis Road, near 
Short Line and Washington, Baltimore and Annapolis 
Railroad, well watered and drained, orchards, lawn and 
shrubbery, affords several good building sites, 12-room 
dwelling, in good repair, elevation, 100 feet. Price, 
$50,000. 

14. "THE MAPLES," CHARLES STREET AVENUE. 

Contains 35 acres, fronting 1,500 feet on Charles Street 
Avenue and 275 feet on Bellona Avenue, 15-room house, 
in good condition, shade, lawns, shrubbery, fertile soil, 
well drained, three-quarters of a mile from electric line, 
one-half mile from Maryland and Pennsylvania Railroad, 
elevation, 430 feet. Price, $40,000. 

15. "O'DONNELL PROPERTY," LAKESIDE. 

Contains 40 acres, situated near terminus electric line 
and near Maryland and Pennsylvania Railroad, one-half 
under cultivation, one-half covered with forest trees, 
lawns and shrubbery, 20-room stone house and other out- 
buildings, all in good repair, elevation, 300 feet. Price, 
$60,000. 

The accompanying map shows the location of all properties 
above described. 



13 



III. TENTATIVE PLANS FOR BUILDINGS 
AND GROUNDS. 

GENERAL PLAN. 

The principal buildings constituing the Central Group form 
three sides of an open square or Campus. The Principal's 
and Professors' houses are attached to the main buildings in 
such a way that communication with all the buildings may- 
be made under cover. The Power House and Men's Dormi- 
tory flank the Athletic Field and are isolated buildings, at 
some distance from the Central Group. The Central Group 
is composed of the School proper, to the right and left of 
which are the Assembly Hall and Gymnasium. The young 
Women's Dormitories are placed in convenient proximity, 
and connected by porticos. The Professors' and Principal's 
Houses likewise connected, afford facilities for supervision, 
and at the same time are independent homes. The Buildings 
are all located and designed to receive the maximum amount 
of sunlight and air. The Campus faces the South, giving the 
East or West sun in all bed rooms. The School proper has 
the administrative offices and principal class rooms facing the 
South. The Laboratories and Lecture Halls on the Northern 
side of the Building ensure a steady and diffused light, which 
is the most desirable for the uses for which this section of the 
Building is planned. 

THE SCHOOL BUILDING. 

The School Building proper is placed on the axis of the 
Campus facing South. It contains the Administrative Of- 
fices, Class Rooms, Laboratories, Lecture Halls, space for 
Manual Training and Cooking School, Library, Teachers' 
Rooms, Store Rooms, and necessary Toilet accommodations. 

THE ASSEMBLY HALL AND GYMNASIUM BUILDING. 

The Assembly Hall with a seating capacity of Twelve to 
Fifteen Hundred has a spacious Banquet Room in Basement; 
while the Basement of the Gymnasium is reserved for a large 
Swimming Pool, with Dressing Rooms and Showers attached. 

14 




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THE DORMITORY GROUP. 

The Dormitories provide accommodation for two students 
in a room, and aggregate One Hundred students to each 
building. On the first floor are also located certain rooms 
for Teachers and some Recreation rooms. Study rooms and 
Toilets with Baths and Showers are provided on all floors. 

MEN'S DORMITORY. 

The Men's Dormitory at the end of the Athletic Field is a 
Building complete in itself, with Recreation and Study rooms, 
and Bed Rooms to accommodate twenty-five students. 

THE POWER HOUSE. 

This Building contains other than the Boiler, Engine Room, 
Machine Shop, the Laundry and Stable. It also provides 
Lodgings for the Superintendent in an upper story. 

ARCHITECTURE. 

The Architecture of the Buildings, while suitable and be- 
coming in dignity a work of public character, has been con- 
sidered with due regard to economy in the selection of ma- 
terials and design. The Colonial type adapted to modern con- 
ditions is expressed, and the structures are of Brick with stone 
trimmings and Slate Roof. The general effect of the Building 
Group is characteristic and pleasing in the landscape, and this 
will be further enhanced by the approaches, roads, gardening, 
etc. The photographs of the drawings attached show the 
scheme in plan, and perspective, and give an approximate idea 
of the form and silhouette of the divers structures. 

AREA. 

The Area covered by the Central Group of Buildings, and 
accessories, including Approaches, Campus, Athletic Field and 
Stadium, with grounds immediately adjoining, is approxi- 
mately Twenty Acres. 

COST. 

The architectural scheme is of such a type that the Build- 
ings may be erected to meet the requirements. If sufficient 
funds are not available for the entire project in the beginning, 
certain Buildings might be dispensed with temporarily, and 
provision made to a certain extent for accommodation in the 
Basement of the structures to be erected. 



17 



IV. RELATION OF THE STATE NORMAL 
SCHOOL TO BALTIMORE CITY. 

At present Baltimore City is maintaining a separate school 
for the training of her teachers. While contributing her share 
toward the support of the State Normal School, she has re- 
ceived, in recent years, very little in return. 

A Committee appointed by the Baltimore City School 
Board, has conferred with this Commission concerning the ad- 
visability of providing for the training of the Baltimore City 
teachers as well as for the county teachers in the State Normal 
School. After this conference, the Commission came to the 
conclusion that while there are some difficulties in the way, 
they are not insurmountable, and that a plan can be worked 
out, making this entirely practicable. 

RECOMMENDATIONS. 

The Commission recommends a bond issue of $600,000, to 
cover cost" of site and buildings. It is estimated that a site of 
proper size, well located, with the necessary buildings in- 
cluding dormitories for at least 300 students, will cost that 
amount. 



18 



LIBRARY OF CONGRESS 



019 739 199 6 4 



